The geography of China is multiple and complex. It is the biggest country in Asia and the third largest country in the world. Its terrain and climate vary from regions to regions.

Where is China located?

China is located in eastern Asia, facing the Pacific Ocean in the east. It is bordered by Russia and Mongolia in the north, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in the northwest, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the west, India, Nepal and Bhutan in the southwest, Burma, Laos and Vietnam in

the south. South Korea, North Korea and Japan are in the east side of

?China,while Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia are in southeast of China.From north to south, China borders the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East Sea and the South Sea. The Bohai Sea is China’s continental sea situated between the Shandong Peninsula and the Liaodong Peninsula. More than 5,000 islands are interspersed with the vast sea and the biggest one is the Taiwan Island. Stretching from the eastern part of Asia to the western bank of the Pacific Ocean, China has a vast territory, ranking the third in the world, only next to Canada and Russia. It covers an area of 9.6 million square kilometers which means one-fifteenth of the world's land mass.

What is China’s terrain like?
From a bird's eye view, China's terrain resembles a four-step staircase down from west to east. With an average altitude of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) and the loftiest summits of more than 7,200 meters, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, well-known as the 'Roof of the World' and the world most extensive plateau, is on top of the staircase. The second step consists of Inner

Where are China’s major rivers?
Yangtze River

As the largest river in the region, the Yangtze is historically, culturally, and economically important to China. Thanks to its rich hydro power, many dames have been built on Yangtze River, with the Three Gorges Dam located in Yichang City, Hubei Province the largest hydro-electric power station in the world. The section of the river flowing through deep gorges in Yunnan province is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas: an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is noticed in three Yangtze River gorges: Qutang Gorge, Wuxia Gorge and Xiling Gorge, commonly known as Sanxia, or the Three Gorges.

Qutang Gorge which is the shortest among the Three Gorges runs eight kilometers from Baidicheng in Fengjie County in the west to Daxizhen in Wushan County, Chongqing City. As soon as the roaring Yangtze River rushes into the gorge, it meets head-on with the imposing Kuimen Gate. Mountains rise perpendicularly like walls on both sides of the river squeezing the broad river into a narrow ribbon threading its way in the gorge. Here the width of the river is reduced to 100-200 meters and the narrowest places are no more than a few dozen meters while the principal peaks on the banks are as high as 1,000-1,500 meters. The turbulent waters flowing in the deep gorge along a continuous line of peaks make a most magnificent picture.

There are many historical sites in Qutang Gorge. On a hilltop on the north bank is the town of Baidicheng, boasting many rare historical relics. On the south bank are the Whitewashed Wall covered with carved inscriptions, the legendary Meng Liang's Ladder, the Upside Down Monk, Armour Cave and the sweet-tasting Phoenix-Drinking Fountain in a deep cave. Also on the south bank, not far downstream, is a very strange-looking peak standing by the river; it is called the Rhinoceros Watching the Moon because it looks like a rhinoceros.

When the river flows out of Qutang Gorge and passes the broad valley of the Daning River, it enters the scenic Wuxia Gorge. Wuxia Gorge is 45 kilometers long, extending west to east from the mouth of the Danning River in Wushan County to Guandukou in Badong County, Hubei Province.
Noted for its deep and serene scenes, Wuxia Gorge is full of zigzag, weird peaks, rising mists and beautiful sights. The famous Twelve Peaks on both banks of the river are the most spectacular. These strange-looking peaks are like a fairy maid dancing.

Wushan, Badong and Zigui are famous towns in the gorge. The town of Zigui attracts a great number of tourists as it is the hometown of Qu Yuan-a well-known poet in Chinese history and Wang Zhaojun who is famous for beautify.

The Daning River at the western entrance to Wuxia Gorge is flanked by continuous strange peaks, including Longmen, Bawu and Dicui, some of them rising into the clouds and presenting an unusual spectacle. The section of the river becomes known as the Minor Three Gorges.

The longest among the Yangtze Gorges, Xiling Gorge stretches west to east for 76 kilometers from the mouth of the Xiangxi River at Zigui in Hubei Province to Nanjing Pass near the city of Yichang in Hubei. It is divided into two sections -- the west section consists of the Military Book and Sword Gorge, the Bull's Liver and Horse's Lung Gorge and Kongling Play Gorge, while the east section features the Shadow Play Gorge and the Yellow Cat Gorge, otherwise known as Yichang Gorge.

Along this gorge sit many archeological sites, including the Huangling Temple, first built during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280). In addition, the Three Visitors' Cave and the Luyou Fountain all have their unique features.Xiling Gorge is known for dangerous rapids and numerous shoals including the Qingtan, Kongling and Xietan shoals. The shoals were formed out of fallen and rock from banks, boulders and sands washed down from the upper reaches, veins protruding from the riverbanks, or reefs jutting out of the riverbed. At some points there are treacherous whirlpools and the waters are extraordinarily turbulent.

Like many rivers, the river is known by different names over its course. At its source, it is called in Chinese the Dangqu (當(dāng)曲, from the Tibetan for "marsh river"). Downstream, it is called the Tuotuo River (沱沱河) and then the Tongtian River (通天河, literally "river passing through heaven"). Where it runs through deep gorges parallel to the Mekong and the Salween before emerging onto the plains of Sichuan, it is known as the Jinsha River (金沙江 Jīnshā Jiāng, literally "golden sands river").
The Yangtze River plays an important role in cultural origins of southern China. Human activity was found in the Three Gorges areas as far back as 27 thousand years ago During the Spring and Autumn Period, Ba and Shu were located along the western part of the river, covering modern Sichuan, Chongqing, and western Hubei. Chu was situated along the central part of river, corresponding to Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, and southern Anhui. Wu and Yue were based along the eastern part of the river, where is now in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Although the Yellow River region was richer and developed better at that time, mild climate and peaceful environment made the Yangtze River area more suitable for agriculture.
The Yangtze River has become more and more important to the development of China’s economy since the Han Dynasty. The establishment of irrigation systems made agriculture very stable and productive. The most famous one was Dujiangyan, northwest of Chengdu established during the Warring States period. By the Song dynasty, the area along the Yangtze had become among the most wealthiest and developed parts of the country, especially in the lower reaches of the river. Early in the Qing dynasty, the region called Jiangnan (that includes the southern part of Jiangsu, the northern part of Zhejiang, and the southeastern part of Anhui) provided 1/3-1/2 of the nation's revenues.

Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the length of 5,464 kilometers (3,395 miles). Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into the Bohai Sea. The Yellow River basin has an east-west extent of 1900 km (1,180 miles) and a north-south extent of 1100 km (684 miles). The total

basin area is 742,443 km2 (290,520 square miles).The source of the Yellow River is near the eastern edge of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The source tributaries drain into Gyaring Lake and Ngoring Lake on the western edge of Golog Prefecture high in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in the far west of China. In the Zoige Basin along the boundary with Gansu Province, the Yellow River loops northwest and then northeast before turning south, creating the "Ordos Loop", and then flows generally eastward across northern China to the Gulf of Bohai, draining a basin of 752,443 km2 (290,520 mi2) which nourishes 120 million people.

The Pearl River system, 2,200 km, is China's third longest river and second largest by volume (after the Yangtze). The 409,480 km2 Pearl River Basin drains the majority of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, as well as parts of Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces in China, and northeastern Vietnam. The Pearl River is named after a sandy or stony island in the middle of the river called "Sea Pearl". This island is now in the bank, due to

the river's change of course.It is an extensive river system in Southern China. The name Pearl River is usually used as a catchment term to refer to the watersheds of the Xi Jiang ("the West River"),the Bei Jiang ("the North River"), and the Dong Jiang ("the East River"). These rivers are all considered tributaries of the Pearl River because they share a common delta, the Pearl River Delta.
Since the reform and opening up in the late 1970s, the delta has become one of the leading economic regions and a major manufacturing center of China and the world. Much of this output is invested by foreign entities and is geared for the export market. Private-owned enterprises have developed quickly in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone and are playing an ever-growing role in the region's economy. The Pearl River Delta Economic Zone accounts for approximately one third of China's trade value.
The manufacturing in Guangdong, combined with the financial and service economy and traditional capitalistic influence from Hong Kong, are creating an economic gateway to attract foreign investment. The Pearl Delta has been the second most populous area in China, East Asia, and one of the most densely populated areas of the world.

North

China's northernmost province Heilongjiang has a subarctic climate; its southernmost point, Hainan Island (an island away from mainland China), has a tropical climate. Temperature differences in winter are great, but in summer the diversity is considerably less.Northern winters, from December to March, can be extremely cold. Beijing may experience temperature of -20C at night, dry and no sun.

Further north, -40C are not uncommon, and you'll see the curious sight of sand dunes covered in snow. During the summer, from May to August, temperatures in Beijing can hit 38C (100F), coinciding with the rainy season for the city.The best time for visiting the north is spring and autumn. Daytime temperatures range from 20C to 30C (68F to 86F) and drop a lot at night.

Central

The Yangtze River valley has long and humid summer with high temperatures from April to October. The city of Wuhan, Chongqing and Nanjing on the Yangtze are China's three famous 'furnaces'.
Winters there, with temperatures dropping well below freezing, can be as cold as in Beijing, particularly as there is no heating in public buildings to the south of the Yangtze River.

South

The central and southern parts of Guangdong Province experience an average January temperature of above 10 °C (50 °F), while the July mean is about 28 °C (82 °F). The summer is a season of typhoons between July and September. Temperatures can rise up to 40 °C. Winter usually starts from January and ends in March.

It's not as cold as in the north, but you'd better bring warm clothes with you while visiting.Autumn and spring can be good times to visit, with day temperatures in the 20C to 25C (68F to 75F) range. Sometimes, it can be miserably wet and cold, with rain or drizzle. Precipitation averages 76 cm (30 inches) per year.

Northwest

It gets hot in summer, dry and sunny. The desert regions can be scorching in the daytime. Turphan, which sits in a depression 150m below sea level, is referred to as the 'hottest place in China' with maximums of around 47C.
In winter this region is as severely cold as the rest of northern China. Temperatures in Turnham during winter are only slightly more favorable to human existence.
This area of China climate experiences little rain, and as a consequence, the air is very dry. Summers, however, can exceed 40C, while winters may drop to -10C. Precipitation averages less than 10 cm (4 inches) per year.

Tibet

Undoubtedly, Tibet is one of the harshest places for human existence. Although it is not hot in summer, it is freezing cold in winter. In Lhasa, the mildest city in Tibet, temperature can exceed 29C in summer while plummeting to -16C in winter.Sun radiation is extremely strong in Tibet. The sunlight in Lhasa is so intense that the city is called Sunlight City.

The thin air can neither block off nor retain heat so that the temperature extremes can be met in daytime and the same night respectively in Tibet. The best time to visit the holy snow land start from April to October If you want to get out of the coldest months in Tibet, you should go between December and February usually.
The average temperature in north Tibet is subzero and winter arrives in October until the following May or June. July and August are the best time to visit the area, enjoying warm temperature, intense sunshine, beautiful scenery and festive events.
May, June and September is the tourist season in east Tibet. In winter, roads are all blocked by heavy snow. Landslides and rock falls frequently occur, which will make travel difficult.
South Tibet is balmy during May to October. During the period, there are also great festive events held. Hence it is the best time to visit Lhasa, Shigatse and Nyingchi.
Most annual rainfall comes in the rainy season which starts from June to September. Usually it rains at night in Lhasa, Shigatse and Chamdo area. The rainfall may block roads and make travel difficult but the scenery at the time will be the best. From November to the coming May, the wind blows often.